


Companionship and Convalescence

by wildar_things



Series: Pride, Prejudice, and Wizards [1]
Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Napoleonic Wars, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24229126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildar_things/pseuds/wildar_things
Summary: Thomas Bennet has been invalided back to England to recover from a severe case of magical exhaustion. While there, his friend Colonel Fitzwilliam introduces him to some old friends.
Relationships: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley
Series: Pride, Prejudice, and Wizards [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748836
Comments: 19
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work takes a lot of inspiration from hl (hele)'s Not Every Gentleman, Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer's fantasy of manners novels, Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and Naomi Novik's Temeraire series.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that two single young gentleman on Sunday afternoon with nothing to do must be in want of some diversion. Such was the case for Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley on their way to White’s when they were hailed by another gentlemen dressed in regimentals headed out of that same establishment. The gentleman was a plain young man but his face was distinguished by good humour and intelligence and he greeted Darcy with great enthusiasm. His companion was a pale young man dressed in plain but nevertheless fine dark clothing.

“Fitzwilliam!” Darcy replied warmly, “I did not know you had returned from Spain. I hope you have not been injured.” Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam smiled. 

“No indeed, cousin, I have been sent back to sit on this young fellow and make sure that he does not overexert himself,” he replied. The young man in question, a fair, copper-haired man with uncommonly intelligent dark grey eyes, shot the colonel a sharp look.

“O do not look at me like that, old man, you have brought this entirely upon yourself. Darcy, this is my compatriot, Thomas Bennet of the Corps of Royal Mages. Bennet, this is my cousin Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley,” Richard said. Darcy smiled politely, touched the brim of his hat, and set to introducing Bingley to his cousin and his companion. The necessary introductions being dispensed of, the Darcy wished to know what his cousin’s plans were now that he was returned from the Peninsula. 

“For now, not very much. We are on furlough for the foreseeable future and very much at loose ends. I had thought I might take young Bennet to White’s and introduce him around but nobody is in London at the moment and it was quite empty,” his cousin replied.

“Well,” said Darcy, “if it is as grim as you say, perhaps you would like to come back to my townhouse for the afternoon. Miss Darcy is in town with me and would no doubt like to see you. You can tell us how things go on the continent.” Richard shot a sharp, assessing glance at his companion and Bennet, catching the glance, raised a brow drolly. Richard seemed to come to a decision.

“That would be delightful, cousin. I have missed dear Georgiana and I am sure that between Bennet and I, we can provide you with some entertainment,” he said genially. 

“Excellent!” Bingley cried, “for I declare I do not know a more awful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to do.”

Bennet shot Bingley a sharp look and for a moment looked quite forbidding. His expression, however, was soon schooled to calm civility and no one but Darcy noted it. Darcy frowned slightly wondering given the last name if there was a connection to Hertfordshire but allowed the moment to pass unremarked. Instead he gestured in the direction of his townhouse and with great amiability the party set off.

* * * *

Darcy’s townhouse was not far from St. James Street and they soon arrived though not without Richard having to discreetly offer Bennet his arm. It seemed that he had not been exaggerating when he said that it was his job to make sure that Bennet did not overexert himself. Darcy wondered that a colonel favoured by Wellesley himself had been assigned to play nursemaid to a member of the Mage Corps. Bennet was more important perhaps than his rank and manner suggested.

Once they were safely ensconced in Darcy’s drawing room and Darcy had sent a maid to notify Georgiana of their presence and to bring refreshments, the gentlemen set to small talk, Richard and Bingley providing the bulk of it through civil inquiries about the state of trade, parliament, London society, and the war. Bennet looked quite pale against the elegant ivory and blue patterned settee and from the frequent glances that Richard sent his way, Darcy was not the only one to notice it.

“I do not wish to pry, Bennet, but can I offer you some brandy? You do not look at all well,” Darcy said gravely. Bennet smiled tiredly. 

“Thank you, no. There is nothing much wrong with me aside a mild case of magical exhaustion. All I require is a moment’s rest on your very comfortable furniture,” he replied. Richard snorted.

“Bennet perjures himself most egregiously—I suppose you heard of Badajoz?” At Darcy and Bingley’s nod he continued. “Well what you may not have heard is that after so many casualties, military discipline broke down and the men turned on their officers and rioted through the city raping, looting, and killing. I know not how long this would have gone on but after many hours, Bennet laid a sleeping compulsion on the all the British soldiers in the town, some 5,000 people at once. By the time everyone came to, Wellesley and his relief forces had rounded the ringleaders up for execution and the rest of the forces had slunk back to camp. Bennet of course was in a deep coma. We were quite certain he would not survive but he came to after a couple days, determined to resume his post. Wellesley laughed at him and told me to take him back home to his family to convalesce and to sit on him if he attempted the slightest bit of magic and here we are.”

Darcy stared at Bennet. A mild case of magical exhaustion indeed, the man was lucky to be alive after pulling such a stunt.

“My god man,” Bingley exclaimed, “you are quite the mage to have managed such a feat. I can just about light a candle if I put my mind to it. I imagine your superiors must have been very grateful for your intervention.” Bennet could not but smile in the face of such sincere admiration and replied that his superiors had indeed been grateful excepting one who was in the Badajoz and hit his head on a cobble when he fell. Richard laughed.

“O well, Talbot will have forgiven you by the time you return. He would be quite dead if you had not intervened, as would I. We are all gratefulness, I assure you,” said he. 

“Well,” Bingley cried, “I at least am very impressed by your resourcefulness.” Darcy nodded. 

“You are very fortunate to be alive—" he said gravely and frowning solicitously, continued, “are you sure you will not take anything to drink? It would be no trouble and I would not have you taking ill in my house.” Bennet waved a hand and assured him that it was not necessary. There was a moment of silence and then Bennet bestirred himself to converse.

“What do you do in town?” he asked, “for it is not time for the season and yet it seems you have both been here for many months. London summers are abominable so there must be something very particular to keep you here.” Bingley sighed.

“We were in Hertfordshire not long ago. I was leasing an estate there to see how I liked it. Business with my lawyer called me back and then my sisters were so determined to remain in town that I thought it might be better to remain. I do agree though, London summers are dreadful.”

“Hertfordshire—” Richard replied, “are you not from Hertfordshire, Bennet?” Darcy and Bingley both startled slightly. It would be quite a coincidence if Bennet, who on closer inspection looked quite a lot like the Miss Bennets of Longbourne in colouring and feature was not connected to them in some way.

“Indeed yes,” Bennet replied with a smile, “or at least, I spent quite a lot of time there as a boy. I was raised between an aunt and uncle in Hertfordshire and another aunt and uncle in London, my father and mother having died when I was still very young. It is a lovely county though I must admit to some partiality.”

“Yes,” Bingley replied, “I thought it a very beautiful county as well though Darcy insists that it is nothing to Derbyshire.” Darcy smiled. 

“Well you can hardly expect me to be any less partial to my home county than any other man but I think that if you came to see the Peaks you would understand my preference,” said he. Bennet smiled.

“Well perhaps I will have the opportunity once I have recovered my strength and Boney is finished. For now I will take your word for it,” he replied. From here, Richard took the reins of the conversation, peppering Darcy with questions of Georgiana’s health, her accomplishments, her friends, and her studies, until finally the lady in question arrived along with the refreshments.

They passed the last hour before dinner in a most amiable fashion. Georgiana was so excited to see the colonel returned that she forgot her shyness and entertained them all at the pianoforte. Her playing was very fine and Richard sat beside her, drawing laughter out of her through his joking manner. Bingley, meanwhile, was his usual amiable self, engaging Bennet and Darcy in discussions of London entertainments and recommending this exhibition or that show. Bennet, however, looked quite pale and ill though he listened to Georgiana’s playing and Bingley and Darcy’s conversation with every symptom of enjoyment. Richard, perhaps sensing that something was amiss with his charge, looked up and frowned. 

“Bennet, I am very pleased that you have been so patient with my family visit but I must take you home. You really look very ill and I am already to face your cousin’s wrath for taking you out of your rooms,” he said. Bennet sighed.

“It is really nothing, Fitzwilliam. I can just as easily lie prostrate on furniture in this drawing room as I can in my own bed and I sent a note for Jane upon my arrival here in case she returned from calling on my aunt and uncle and wondered where we were. Do not trouble yourself; she will be sure to lay the blame on me, not you.” Richard grimaced.

“Would that I could believe you. You should have heard the dreadful scold she gave me when I took you to the park last week. My ears are still ringing,” he replied.

“Jane, scold? No I do not believe you. I am not grown so feeble an invalid to be taken in by such tall tales,” Bennet replied drolly. “I have not seen my angelic cousin raise her voice in anger since I stole her favourite doll and hid it in a tree when we were both still young children.” Richard shrugged and strode over to the settee to hoist Bennet to his feet.

“Believe what you like. I for one shall continue to fear your beautiful but stern cousin. She is quite ferocious in your defense. Darcy, could we borrow your carriage? I do not believe it would do to have Bennet walk home,” he said. 

“Of course,” Darcy replied and so saying, strode off to order it readied. While he was gone, Bennet and the colonel took their leave of Bingley and Miss Darcy with great civility and friendliness. Promises were extracted for more calls and Miss Darcy turned quite pink when Bennet praised her playing and expressed the wish to hear her again another time. And with that, Bennet and the colonel were bundled into the Darcy carriage for home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy, Bingley, and Georgiana return Bennet's call.

As Fitzwilliam predicted, Jane was not pleased with either of them when Thomas returned barely able to keep his feet underneath him. She chivvied Thomas upstairs into nightshirt and bed before ordering their dinners to be brought to Thomas’ room. All this being accomplished, she very civilly ejected the colonel from their lodgings. Fitzwilliam laughingly saluted her and took the Darcy carriage back to the Darcy townhouse at –—Street leaving Thomas to his fate.

In fact, Jane and Thomas were very close, having spent their childhood allied in a desperate attempt to provide some structure and respectability to Longbourne and its three youngest girls. As such they had a lovely evening chatting and laughing in Thomas’ room before Jane insisted that he sleep. Thomas thought longingly of the time before his illness when his life was not a succession of beds, orders, and broths but did as he was bid. As much as it pained him to admit, the day’s outing had exhausted him and he could barely keep his eyes open.

The very next day he and Jane were seated in the front room of their lodgings, he scowling over a particularly abstruse book of magical theory and she making over an old and unfashionable bonnet for Kitty, when they received a call. It was the colonel as usual but this time he was accompanied by Darcy, Bingley, and Miss Darcy. 

Jane was quite overcome but aside from a blush high on her cheeks, managed to make conversation with tolerable composure. Bingley, by contrast, stammered and stuttered his way through greeting Miss Bennet before settling into a chair beside her and gazing at her quite calf-eyed. Darcy and Fitzwilliam both looked very amused. It was not long before Georgiana noted Thomas’ book and asked what it was he studied. It soon became clear that both the Darcy siblings were well versed in magical theory and made excellent conversational partners.

“I did not know you were mages,” Thomas exclaimed. “Pray, why did you not tell me last night? I have been longing for someone to help me work through theoretical difficulties like these since I was furloughed.” Miss Darcy blushed and Thomas noted with amusement that she was not past the age to become enamoured with her older brother’s friends and acquaintances. Miss Darcy was a tall, well-grown girl but one only had to talk to her to realize that she could not be much older than Lydia. Jane mock frowned at him.

“That is because you are supposed to be convalescing. I know you very well, Thomas. Well enough to know that discussing theoretical difficulties swiftly turns to “small, practical workings” and from there to day-long experiments in the blink of an eye. The physician was quite clear that you were to do no magic for at least two months and it has barely been a fortnight,” she said. Miss Darcy looked quite wide-eyed at Jane’s teasing but Fitzwilliam and Bingley both broke into laughter and Darcy smiled.

“That is exactly how I would have expected Bennet to act,” Bingley said delightedly. “Tell me, how do you do keeping him in his sickroom.”

“Not well at all,” Jane said shooting the colonel a look of mild reproof. The colonel laughed and begged Miss Bennet’s pardon. She sighed.

“I understand that it must be very boring here after life in the army but I do wish you would take more care, Thomas,” said she. “You know not how frightening it was to have you return feverish, delirious, and faint by turns and barely able to raise your head off your pillow. I would have you take the physician’s recommendations more seriously.” She looked quite teary eyed for a second and Bennet sobered.

“I am very sorry to give you such anxiety, dearest and will try to be better patient,” he replied. She smiled slightly tremulously and returned to Kitty’s bonnet. After a short pause, Bingley reclaimed her attention with inquiries about their acquaintances back in Meryton. Thomas hoped that this time, Bingley was sincere in his attentions.

* * * *

As the weeks went on, Bennet continued to mend and Darcy and Bingley continued to call on him and Miss Bennet at their lodgings. Often they were accompanied by Richard and Georgiana. Very occasionally, they brought Bingley’s sisters and brother in law. In this way, they also became acquainted with the Gardiners, the Bennets’ aunt and uncle. Darcy and Georgiana were soon well on their way to being very fond of both families and desirous of a more intimate acquaintance.

Darcy had been convinced that Miss Jane Bennet had no suitable family connections but he was forced to admit that Thomas Bennet and the Gardiners were people of taste and sense. Had he met Miss Bennet in London he imagined he would have advised Bingley quite differently. It was also becoming clear that Miss Bennet, though reserved, was far from indifferent to Bingley. He thus resolved that if Bingley asked for his opinion on the suitability of the lady again, he would give Bingley an altogether answer than he had in the past. Fortunately Bingley seemed to need no encouragement from Darcy and his attentions to Jane became even more marked than they had in Hertfordshire.

One day when Miss Bennet had gone to spend the day with the Gardiners, Bennet took the opportunity to call on Darcy and Bingley with Colonel Fitzwilliam. Bingley greeted him with enthusiasm and Darcy with a frown and a query as to whether he should be out of the house. Bennet laughed.

“I am perfectly fine, mother hen; now will you share some of your excellent port with me or do I need to content myself with beef tea?” Bennet teased. Darcy smirked slightly. 

“Have care with your tongue, Bennet, or you will have nothing but broth. Such things are very healthful, I am told, especially for invalids like yourself,” replied he. Nevertheless, he took them all to the billiards room and commenced to serve them port. Before long, the young men were deep in a game of billiards and had imbibed quite a lot more of Darcy’s finest than was perhaps wise. Bennet still could not stand for very long and so sat to the side of the room watching and providing commentary. However, it seemed that something was on his mind and he was unusually quiet. After almost an hour of silent brooding, Richard looked over at Bennet quizzically and asked what was troubling him.

“Ah,” Bennet replied, “I apologize for my incivility. Something concerns me and I do not quite know how to politely bring it up.” Darcy suggested that he might as well come out and say it for this brooding was likely just as impolite as whatever bit of frankness he was about to produce. Bennet hummed in response and staring into his glass, began to speak.

“I am concerned for Jane,” said he, “you see, two months ago, a young gentleman moved into her neighbourhood in Hertfordshire and began to pay her marked attentions. This was noted by the whole town and not least by Jane herself. Jane fell quite in love with the young man and hoped that he might feel the same. Then, quite suddenly, he and his entire household picked up to London and did not return. The young man’s sister sent Jane a note hinting that they left because the young man was in courting another.” Bingley turned pale and completely missed his shot. Darcy did not even try to take his turn. He simply watched Bennet with steady reserve, leaning on his cue. Richard, sensing the tension in the room looked between Bennet, Darcy, and Bingley. Bennet did not take his eyes off his glass.

“Jane was… heartbroken. Not in an obvious way, indeed a stranger might think that nothing of note had happened. To her loved ones, however, it was clear that she was quite out of spirits. My aunt Bennet, though not a malicious woman, did not have the sense or the consideration to see that her lamentations about the loss of the young man were further injuring my cousin both by exposing her to ridicule from the neighbourhood for disappointed hopes and by not allowing her to forget what she had lost. When I was furloughed I requested Jane come to London to attend me and I certainly did need help from someone but I admit I also hoped to get her away from home and into circumstances where she might begin to recover from her disappointment.” Bingley looked quite stricken and opened his mouth to speak but Bennet continued.

“Now in London the same young man pays her attentions that seem if anything more marked and Jane begins to fall in love with him again. I do not wish to see my beloved cousin disappointed once more. I do not wish to be so negligent a guardian as my aunt and uncle Bennet who mean well but do not guard their daughters’ feelings, happiness, and respectability,” here he looked up from his port and met Bingley’s eyes with a hard look, “but I also do not wish to deprive my cousin of her preferred suitor if indeed that is what he intends to be, so I ask you Bingley, what are your intentions towards my cousin?” Richard gaped at Bennet and Bingley. Clearly his friend had not explained any part of the situation. Darcy, meanwhile, looked impassively at Bingley, curious as to his response. Bingley looked quite pale and ashamed but steady.

“Bennet, I cannot tell you how sorry I am to have hurt Ja—Miss Bennet in this fashion. I left two months ago not because I was courting someone else but because I believed her to be indifferent and did not want to raise any more hopes in Meryton if that was so. I did not want an unequal marriage and sought to extract myself from the situation. When I met your cousin again in London, it became clear that she was not indifferent after all and I resumed my courtship. I do not intend to toy with Miss Bennet again. I—I intend to offer for her hand.” Bennet’s mask of careful neutrality cracked and he smiled widely draining his glass.

“O I am relieved to hear you say it, for otherwise I would have to turn you into a toad and then both my physician and Jane would be quite cross with me. Well then you have my full blessing to court her, whatever that is worth for you will have to apply to her and her father. Still I do not think you will run into any trouble there,” he said gaily and with some incoherency. Bingley laughed and setting his cue against the wall, strode over to Bennet to embrace him. Richard meanwhile strode over to the sideboard for the decanter and refilled everyone’s glasses. 

“Let us have a toast to Bingley, may his proposal be well received,” he cried and they all drank, “now,” he continued, “if we have sorted out the small matter of Bingley and Miss Bennet’s love life, perhaps we could continue our game?”

“You are a true romantic, Richard,” Darcy returned dryly. Bennet and Bingley only laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a celebration and Darcy reveals his hand. Bennet does not.

Much later the gentlemen had given up billiards as requiring too much coordination and repaired the library where there were more surfaces on which to sit. A very foxed Bingley had been holding forth on Jane Bennet’s many fine qualities and Thomas, wishing to turn the conversation away from another panegyric to his cousin’s eyes turned to Darcy and asked why he was not yet married. Both Fitzwilliam and Bingley laughed. Darcy shrugged.

“Why should I be?” he asked, “do you hope to find grooms for all your cousins? I warn you, whatever their charms, I will not be marrying any of the remaining Bennet girls.” Thomas laughed. 

“Are you sure? You are a serious fellow. Perhaps my cousin Mary’s sermonizing would suit you. She has Fordyce’s Sermons quite memorized,” he replied. Darcy merely laughed but Richard grinned and exchanged glances with Bingley.

“Darcy is not the marrying kind of gentleman,” he said teasingly, “something that should not surprise you, Bennet, for I do not believe that you are either.” Thomas raised a brow and primly inquired as to what kind of gentleman Richard believed him to be if not the marrying kind. Richard only raised a brow right back. Then Thomas made the mistake of looking back to Darcy. Darcy was leaned back in his chair looking deliciously rumpled, cravat loosened, jacket discarded somewhere back in the billiards room. His dark curls were disordered, he was smirking slightly and his eyes—heated and dark and more than a little proprietary. He looked like he considered Thomas to be quite his own and had been waiting for the proper moment to make his point. Thomas flushed all the way to the roots of his hair. Bingley and Fitzwilliam broke into uproarious laughter.

“Do you know,” Darcy mused, “I do not think I have ever seen you at a loss for words.” Thomas shot him a sharp look. This would not do. Fitzwilliam had been quite correct that Thomas was not the marrying kind of gentleman but he misapprehended why. Thomas could not take a lover either, no matter how irresistible Darcy looked in his shirtsleeves or how much port he had imbibed.

“I suppose I am still inexperienced when it comes to love,” Thomas said with forced airiness, “what of you, Richard? You are not so young anymore, have you any designs to enter the married state?” Darcy was watching him carefully and with an ironical glint in his eyes. He was far too sharp to miss so clumsy a dodge. Thomas did not care; grace was for nights when he had not unwisely awakened the sleeping dragons that were Darcy’s unspoken intentions for him.

“Not so young anymore, fie! I suppose if one is a beardless boy every other man seems ancient. I am not so in my dotage that I need rush into the married state, Bennet. I am simply waiting for the right woman.” This inspired Darcy to venture a witticism regarding Fitzwilliam’s past amorous failures and the topic carried them quite safely to the end of the night when Bingley and Fitzwilliam stumbled off to their beds.  
This left Thomas in his chair wondering if he would be able to stand between his indisposition and the drink. Darcy stood looking annoyingly composed and steady on his feet. Thomas wondered if reserve could proof you against the effects of drink, he personally could feel the room was rocking like the deck of a ship. Darcy crossed the room to Thomas’ chair in more or less a straight line and held out a hand to him. 

“I know that look,” Darcy said, “it means that you cannot get up and are too proud to admit it. In moment you will be telling me that you prefer to sleep in chairs, thank you very much, and that indeed, when you are at home you sleep only in chairs.” Thomas laughed.

“How well you know me! But no, right now I am wondering how I will get back to my lodgings tonight so that Jane does not return tomorrow morning and find me gone. For you know she will not be pleased if she does.” Darcy grinned. 

“I think you are going have to reconcile yourself to facing your cousin’s wrath. At least you have given her a ready distraction in the form of Bingley. I believe he will offer for her as soon as he is able to scrape himself off the floor tomorrow,” he said amusedly. Bennet sighed.

“O very well, I will give up my aspirations for my lodgings but—” and here he smiled slyly, “I really do not wish to be parted with this chair. I believe that it will suit me—” and here he was forced to stop for Darcy had grasped him under his elbows and levered him to his feet. Thomas squawked and grasped Darcy by the shoulders. Darcy’s dark eyes glinted mischievously.

“What was that you were you saying, Bennet?” He asked. Thomas swayed on his feet, letting Darcy take his weight. Darcy readjusted those large, strong hands, so that one supported Thomas at the small of his back and the other at the nape of his neck. Thomas found himself tipping his head back lazily to meet Darcy’s eyes.

“Mmmmm nothing important,” he replied. Darcy’s face was very close now. He was quite certain that if he leaned forward he could brush Darcy’s lips with his own. That was a dangerous thought. He flicked his eyes back up to Darcy’s. That was even worse for they were warm and dark and very possessive. 

“Bennet,” Darcy murmured, “I am going to take advantage of you now because I am quite sure that you are going to pretend not to remember any of this tomorrow and I am inclined to let you if that is what you choose,” and with this extraordinary statement, Darcy leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was surprisingly gentle for all that there was nothing chaste about it. Darcy tasted overwhelmingly of port, giving lie to his deceptive steadiness. Thomas eagerly returned the kiss, savouring it as an indulgence that could never be repeated. Finally Darcy drew back, resting his forehead against Thomas’. Their noses brushed and Thomas could not stop himself from brushing kiss against Darcy’s mouth and winding his fingers into the curls at the base of Darcy’s skull. Darcy was trembling slightly against him. For good measure Thomas stole another one.

“Bennet…” Darcy murmured, “please—” he did not finish his sentence though Thomas was not at a loss for what he wanted. Thomas gave a small, broken laugh.

“Darcy, I cannot. We cannot,” he said quietly. Darcy leaned back a bit and stroked his cheek, studying him seriously. 

“Can we not?” he asked, “certainly such things are not wholly respectable but I have had my share of lovers. For the most part, those who know pretend not to and those who do not never notice. I believe we could manage quite well you and I with a little discretion.”

“And what of an heir? Certainly you will need to marry and have one at some point?” Darcy shrugged. 

“Pemberley is not entailed away from the female line. It would go to Georgiana and her children. That does not trouble me,” he replied calmly. Thomas felt a wave of misery sweep over him. To be so close to having this good man, with his fine mind, and steady gaze was unbearable. He wanted quite suddenly to cry. He looked down unable to meet Darcy’s warm, questioning gaze.

“I—there are things you cannot—it is not so easy as that for me,” Thomas replied, keeping his eyes down. Darcy sighed and tilted Thomas’ chin up. He studied his face intently and then leaned in and kissed him lightly. 

“I believe that you will tell me whatever it is you are hiding, Bennet,” he said quietly, “but until then, I will importune you no further. Come now, let us get you up the stairs.”


End file.
